Seasonal· St Barthelemy· Leeward Islands
South Swell Caveat: Anse du Gouverneur
17° 53.0′ N · 62° 50.0′ W · approximate
Gouverneur is a south-facing cove: swell wrapping round the headlands makes it rolly, and in an offshore south or south-east swell the surf is strong enough to make it a no-go anchorage.
Practical
Position is mid-cove (approx, from the OpenStreetMap bay). Gustaviaharbor.com flags south-swell days as unsuitable for young children; noforeignland users report it rolly when swell wraps in, with 3 m sand and good holding otherwise. Use it only in settled NE-E trades; tuck into the western side. Late-summer storm swells (August-October) hit this coast hardest; winter's northerly swells leave it calm while Colombier and Flamands roll, so it can be the better choice then. Gustavia's outer anchorage also becomes uncomfortable in a south-east swell.
Best for
Choosing between Gouverneur and the north-side anchorages
Season
Good in N swell; avoid in S/SE swell (esp. Aug-Oct)
Nearby
- Anse du Gouverneur AnchorageRight here
- Anse de Grande Saline0.7 NM away
- Anse de Grande Saline Anchorage0.7 NM away
- South Swell Caveat: Anse de Grande Saline0.7 NM away
- Tamarin (Grande Saline)0.8 NM away
- Le Grain de Sel (Grande Saline)0.9 NM away
- Shell Beach (Anse de Grand Galet)1.1 NM away
- Shellona1.1 NM away